Measuring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from shrubs with a portable gas chromatograph (MiniCam) and modeling shrubland VOCs with a geographical information system

• Other Authors: Bliss, Shaan (author), Guenther, Alex (contributor), Klinger, Lee (contributor), Schauffler, Sue (contributor)
• Format: Manuscript
• Language: English
• Published: 2002
• Subjects: Atmosphere; Nitrogen oxide; Ozone formation; Isoprene; Monoterpene; Gas chromatograph; Flux levels; Arctic; taiga; Tundra
• Online Access: http://nldr.library.ucar.edu/repository/collections/SOARS-000-000-000-115; https://doi.org/10.5065/apqx-yb86

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are gases that influence the chemical composition of the atmosphere. In a high nitrogen oxide environment VOCs facilitate higher ozone formation and thus can be a hazard to human and plant health. Most VOC studies focus on VOCs produced by trees but little is known about shrubs. The purpose of this study was to determine the amounts of VOC (isoprene and monterpenes) emitted by shrubs. The VOC flux levels of twenty shrub species originating from different ecological habitats around the world were measured using a portable gas chromatograph (MiniCam). Shrubs emissions were sampled using an enclosure system while light, temperature, humidity, and airflow were measured within the enclosure. Shrub flux levels were then incorporated into a global emissions model by using geographical information system (GIS) software ArcView and a global ecoregion database. In addition to the 20 shrub VOC flux estimates, ecoregions categories were used to estimate global shrub VOC emissions. Results from the MiniCam revealed that shrubs emitted considerable amount of isoprene and monoterpenes. The global emission model demonstrated that the following ecoregions emitted the highest monoterpenes: Northern Siberian taiga, Deccan thorn scrub forests, Mediterranean woodlands and forests, Mitchell grass downs, Murray-Darling woodlands and mallee. The following ecoregions emitted the highest Isoprene: Canadian low arctic tundra, Mediterranean woodlands and forests, Eastern Anatolian montane steppe, Tian Shan montane steppe and meadow, Qionglai-Minshan conifer forests, Murray-Darling woodlands and mallee) contain high VOC emitting shrub species.